Elam enters draft
Ex-Benjamin star played 3 seasons with Gators
One of the best players to come out of Palm Beach County in recent years is heading to the NFL.
Former Benjamin star Kaiir Elam announced Monday that he would enter the 2022 NFL draft after playing three seasons with the Florida Gators. Elam announced his choice to leave college early on Twitter.
“My family and I have been discussing the decision to make for the next year” Elam said in his video. “We feel like it’s essential for me to forgo my senior season and start preparing for the NFL Combine and draft. I’ll forever be a Gator, I’ll forever be grateful for all the fans and all the real people that stuck with us through the ups and downs. Being able to come back to The Swamp was something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life and being a Gator is something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”
Elam spent four years at Benjamin, growing into a star on the gridiron. He was a Sun Sentinel Super 11 pick as a junior and as a senior. He was a first-team All-County pick as a junior, and he was the Sun Sentinel Palm Beach County small schools defensive player of the year as a senior.
“If there was an all-time list [of Benjamin players], he’s No. 1,” Benjamin coach Eric Kresser said in 2018.
Elam was a highly touted prospect, earning a fourstar rating. He was listed as the No. 6 cornerback and No. 48 player in the 2019 class. On National Signing Day on Feb. 6, 2019, Elam picked Florida over Georgia.
“I felt like the University of Florida was a no-brainer, obviously,” Elam said in his video. “Not even the tradition or anything, but I just felt like, in my heart, I was making the best decision for my family and I.”
Elam quickly blossomed into a star with the Gators. He played in 11 games and started five as a true freshman, intercepting three passes. He was named to the coaches’ All-SEC freshman team.
In 2020, Elam entrenched himself in the Gators’ secondary, starting all 12 games during the pandemic-shortened season. He made 39 tackles with two interceptions and 11 pass breakups. He was named to the coaches’ All-SEC first team.
“The 2020 year with the pandemic, I feel like that really tested my faith and my love for football, honestly, because they were talking about not even having a season,” Elam said in his video. “So for us to even play, I felt like I couldn’t take that granted.”
Elam missed time due to injury in his final season at Florida. In 10 games, he made 29 tackles, one interception and five pass breakups.
Elam is considered one of the best cornerbacks available in the 2022 draft, and he could be a firstround selection.
“These last three years have been nothing but a blessing,” Elam said in his video. “I wouldn’t trade this for the world. I wouldn’t trade this for anything else because it taught me a lot of learning lessons and it taught me how to keep battling, get up and keep going, take a lick and keep going.”